The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-12-24
ABOUT llESMERISM.

ABOUT MESMERISM.
THE CAPITAL EXCITED CONCERNING
"SUBJEcTSp AND "SENsITIvES."
A Correspondents Accidental Discovery.
Animal Magnetism an Amusement. |
Experiments with a Glass in Hypnot.
ism-.An Operators" Conclusions.
This letter will be in the nature of confes-
sion. Last spring, discovering by accident |
that could mesmerize, took up nleslnerism
as a diversion for the amusement of myself
and friends. had long believed in it
entirely, and carefully watched its pro-
cesses, but wished to study its philosophy
and find out, if l could, the cause and the
limits Of its mysterious phenomena.
first found that l could, by placing my
hand OH the forehead of young acquaint-
ance and accompanying the slight pressure
with an imperative command, close his eyes
and keep them firmly closed against all ef-
forts of his will could compel him to dance
or keep him from moving from his tracks;
could prevent his rising from his chair; pre-
vent his striking his hands together, and, at
last, could prevent him from speaking. In
fact l absolutely controlled his voluntary
muscles in every respect, and could compel
him to do anything that he was physically
capable of doing.
Extending the experiments, l obtained the
same control over others, both men and
women, till 1 had quite class of sensitives
so responsive that could control them with
ease. Up to this time they were all perfectly
conscious and without any hallucination>;
they knew who they were, where they We're
and what they We're doing, and they laughed
as heartily al the absurd results obtained as
any spectator. Up to this time, too, l had
no means of ascertaining whether the nl,-
parent results were genuine. might be the
dupe of cunning people who We're conspiring
to fool ME, for in these early stages there
seems to be no way of scientifically prov
ing it.
1t was some time before was able to carry
the experiments further and get control of
the consciousness and senses of my class. At
last success came. made them SEQ and hear
mosquitoes and fight the tormentors with
great energy At this point they became
dazed. and it was easy to command their
senses i'll other respects At suggestion
they heard music, the noises of Il riot Il thun-
der storm, the roaring of lions. speech by
Col. lngersoll, and they gradually came see
vlvidly anything to which directed their
attention. In this world of hallucinatiou
they lost cons,iousne>S-or rather, they
abandoned their real existence and assumed
all abnormal existence, as one does in
dream.
VARIOUS EXPERIMENTS.
am not Vet certain whether this strange
condition is imposed on them by my will or
whether it is self imposed. subjective and tho
result of expectation on their part. l am In
clined to believe the latter theory is true,
because when | direct their attention to u
horse, for instance each one sees a different
sort of horse and his head is in different di-
lections.
BY few additional passes can induce
cataleptic state in which the sensitive be-
comes perfectly rigid and can he laid out be-
tween two chairs, his head on one and his
heels on another like log. They can also
be easily made illsenSible to pain, so that
pins are stuck through their hands, teeth
drawn and painful but harmless acids put in
the eye without eXtorting sign of feeling.
In this way, and others even more concll-
sive, have demonstrated the good faith of
my class
l have given several receptions for the ell
tertainment of my friends and record here
some result for the benefit of those in other
cities who choose to try similar experiments.
The available class now consists of eight
four gentlemen and four ladies, from Ii to 40
years of age. Two of these doth ladies'
have never been able tn take into the region
of hallucnations. can control them physi-
cally, can prevent their unclasping their
har1 1o1yi fon
their chairs, or pronouncing their own
names: but here my influence stops. car-
not make them think that the room is hot or
cold, or that mosquitoes are prevalent, or
disturb the testimony of their senses in any
way.
The other six are lost to the realities of life
the instant touch them. One of them can
put into a sound sleep in second, and he
will sleep until awaken him.
1t should be stated here that these sensitiycs
are above the average of intelligence and
mental activity. Three of them are clerks in
the departments. one, who took the vale,llc-
tory i'll college, being an artist in tho Smith
Sonian. Two are in business for themselves:
one of them, shrewd, sagacious and level
headed man as one would meet anywhere,
with sharp commercial turn of mind. This
man differs from the others in being kcenly
crGulous-skeptical of his hallucinations
when they seem unreasonable.
SOME CONCLUSIONS.
know of no other thing in which there is
so much entertainment as mesmerism For
the benefit OF those who desire to experiment
append certain conclusions from my own
experiments here:
!. About one person in ten can be mes
lnerized.
?. The proportion of people who have the
power to mesmerize, if it be a power do
not know.
3. Mesnlerism is trance and seems to Inc
almost identical with somnanbulsm.
I. 1t is as harmless as sleep. My sensitives
occasionally come to me in the daytime to be
put to sleep for the purpose of obtaining rest
>. Hallucinations that take place under
mesmerism are seldom remembered in sub
sequent waking state, hut are generally re-
called with vivilness in a subsequent mes
meric state.
&. Meslnerized subjects do not zee the Oh
iectS or people in the room or hear any noise
whatever except the voice of the operator.
:. My senstives could have an arm or a
leg amputated have no doubt, without
suffering any pain.
=. Some of my Senstives are able to tell
what goes OH behind them, and where they
cannot see it, by some occult sense of which
am ignorant. AIN at present pursuing
study along this line.
Others here are now experimenting. and I
think mes1nerism is the coming fashionable
fad. w. A. Croffut in New York Mail and
Express.
= "Dccoy" Cow.
A farmer living near Dickinson, Dak, has
COW that is used as a decoy in loading
cattle in cars. She will "make friends Of
| the steers in yard, and at given signal
lead them up the incline that projects from
the car toward the yard Her owner receives
more for her services than any two men at